Air India announced that all flights to the Middle East have been suspended due to the ongoing strikes in the region. IndiGo also confirmed cancellations for flights to and from the Middle East, citing passenger safety and security.
Major Indian carriers IndiGo and Air India cancelled their services to the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensified with attacks across the region, including in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, parts of Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Jordan.
In an advisory, Air India said that in view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all its flights to destinations in the region have been suspended and that it remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety for passengers and crew.
Earlier in the day, the United States and Iran conducted joint strikes in Iran, with the first reported strike occurring near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The airline added that it will continue assessing the safety and security environment for flight operations and will adjust services proactively as required, while its teams will extend all necessary support to passengers.
The cancellations come as airlines across Europe, Asia and the Middle East announced suspensions, cancellations and route changes while dealing with airspace closures, bombings and diversions.
IndiGo stated that flights to and from the Middle East have been cancelled until midnight.
In its statement, the airline said that due to evolving airspace restrictions around Iran and the Middle East, all such flights are cancelled until 0000 hours, adding that these measures have been taken because the safety and security of customers and crew remain its highest priority. It also said teams are continuously monitoring the situation and recalibrating operations to minimise disruption as much as possible.
Several international carriers including Air France, Wizz Air, Lufthansa, Polish Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines have also cancelled flights to the conflict affected region.
Another Indian airline, SpiceJet, said some of its Dubai flights will be affected because of airspace closures across parts of the Middle East.
